An Asian American expat musings on the post-election malaise

As an expat, one of the things I experience is how different governments treat their people, and how my passport country measures up. Until I had moved overseas, I had taken for granted American infrastructure, rules and regulations and our homegrown love for criticizing politicians and government. I lived in a democracy where political cartoons are the norm and SNL skits are revered and expected.

So, it’s been interesting to live in places where having those rights is not a given. For example, right now in Thailand, protesting on the street is not a legal option any more. Of course, I feel sympathetic, but I mostly listen. I hope it’s obvious why. As a result, I inevitably reflect on my own upbringing in historical contexts, and about my education.

In high school, when we were learning about US politics, I remember feeling torn between the Democratic and Republican parties because I liked and disliked both party policies. I didn’t have any parental influences coloring my perspective because mom’s an immigrant with basic practical English and my stepdad tried to instill the value of thinking for yourself.

When I look back at my voting history I’m not surprised to have voted Democratic, Republican or Third Party depending on the candidates. I am surprised, however, by how many I’ve been old enough to vote in – 7 including this year’s.

You have to understand that even though I am a pragmatic and idealistic person, I don’t believe that politicians care about everyday people. I’ve become cynical about our political system. When everyone was excited about electing Obama, I was in my dark corner grumbling, “He won’t do anything.” I didn’t care if he was black, white or green and I certainly didn’t have any pride about him being from Hawaii. He went to Punahou School, one of the most expensive schools on the island and a high school theatre rival.

No, I didn’t vote for McCain. I voted Third Party in the primaries. I was tired of the two party system, the same ‘ol same ‘ol. I wanted real change. I wanted a revolution. It didn’t happen. We moved overseas, fed up with American politics and the 9 to 5 treadmill. At one point, I foolishly declared on social media I was for anarchy, not fully realizing what I was advocating.

Fast forward to this election, when my BF first told me about Bernie Sanders, his eagerness and happiness, palpable, but apparently I said, “He won’t get elected. Don’t bother.” And then I slithered back onto my suspicious bench. My BF remained optimistic though.

In the beginning, Republican nominee Trump was just some ridiculousness that the media seemed to be lapping up. I only noticed him because it was hard not to. I jokingly said if you wanted attention, you need only add his photo to your blog or write about him. Talk about click bait. But as the primaries were coming to a head, I found myself very much invested in Bernie Sanders that rogue candidate who believed in shattering corruption, and now who everyone is touting as someone who we should have taken seriously.

I also found myself looking behind the political correctness identity politics curtain that was being propagandized throughout mainstream media. There are a few reasons for this. I grew up in Hawaii so I know what a diverse population looks like, where whites can often be the minority, and how a diverse group can be together. Whenever I spoke about how ethnically rich Hawaii was Mainlanders mistakenly thought we lived in blissful harmony to ukulele music with plumerias in our hair at the luau.

“Uh, no. Are you kidding? We’ve called each other nasty racial slurs and we had fist fights.”

Like Ja Flip which means Japanese Filipino and haole, originally a Hawaiian word that has come to mean ‘whites’ and straddling the line of: Does this mean nigger? But it’s important to say everyone got pissed on, including me who was part of the Asian majority.

(To be fair, I do want to add that Hawaii is filled with interracial couples, kids and families. When Spike Lee’s Jungle Fever came out, my brother and I looked at each other and said, “What’s the big deal?”)

In grad school, in one of those teacher training classes I was taking, I remember a white girl talking about the racism against her, how she was teased, bullied, beaten up, how she hated Hawaii and school, and how she was thrown into a dumpster. My classmates and I listened with horror and sadness. I was the first to speak up after a tension-filled silence. I guess because I knew what it was like to be a target myself.

“Sorry. I’m sorry you went through all of that.”

My BF endured this kind of distorted and misguided revenge too, but at sunny UC Irvine’s art program where he was constantly told, “We’ve heard from your kind for the last 2000 years, nobody cares what you have to say”. Never mind, he grew up poor and was teased for it. Never mind, he was here on scholarship. After this experience, he turned away from art, his passion, for many years.

I also dated a Southerner for 6 years. Alabama. Deep South. Baptist Christian Creationist who went to church as often as three times a week throughout his childhood. I met his family, stayed with them and his extended family (all kind and generous people), and *gasp* even lived in the South.

It made me realize how much the South as a region is fair game when it comes to judgments, jokes and deeply insulting stereotypes. I find myself defending the South whenever it comes up in casual conversation as a ‘place to be avoided at all fucking costs’, as ‘banjo country’ and ‘backwards’.

Funnily, I experienced racism in California, Oregon and Colorado, but never throughout my travels and time in the American South.

When I met Mr. Alabama, he had mostly gotten rid of his accent as he was sick of being asked, “Where are you from?” and of course, being teased. He told me he studied Californian’s accents and I think he felt pretty good about shaving it down, although whenever he gets off the phone with family it comes back.

My brother ended up marrying a Southerner and so all of my nieces and nephews are mixed and live in Tennessee. Maybe they are the only AMWF couple in the entire state, but I seriously doubt they are and the only mixed couple. Look, I’m not saying the South is perfect, I just think people’s perceptions of RED versus BLUE states and all that other crap is harmful, hurtful and propagates hate.

Perhaps all of this clued me in to the danger of listening and believing only one kind of narrative. Specifically, the narrative mainstream media was screaming from rooftops this election season: us versus them.

I don’t know. I decided not to go to battle on FB because it seemed like the conversation was being pushed aside for feeling angry, outraged, for “c’mon White people” status updates and vilifying OTHERS. Instead, I decided to read and listen to both the alternative left and the alternative right. And just like high school Lani reading about the US political system, I learned both sides said things that I agreed and disagreed with. Both sides covered things that the other didn’t, too.

Of course, it helps that I’ve been living out of the country since Obama took office. And I think it helped that I had weaned myself off of mainstream media many years ago when I heard that corporations like Time Warner had bought out other news outlets in America. I even limited NPR to just the books section.

But I’m not patting myself on the back. Because even though I have Dem, Rep and Third Party supporters and friends from around the world on Facebook, I’m not sure if folks are ready to stop blaming and listen to each other yet. You know what I mean? Yes, the emotions are dying down. The corporate media is starting to issue apologies for their propaganda and bias reporting. But until Americans start to understand what our government has been doing to countries and open a dialogue with those who they perceive to be their mortal enemy, I think I might as well continue to stand on the periphery.

Maybe I always will. After all, I didn’t vote. Therefore, many will see me as part of the problem. That’s fine because I’m used to having this conversation. I just have to tell them the story of young Lani watching the votes being counted across America from east to west, and how the next President of the United States was declared well before the count ever reached Hawaii. Or that there is something called the Electoral College. Or that it’s my choice to not participate in the government that I find corrupt. Or that I didn’t like any of the candidates. Or that the lesser of two evils is a bullshit argument that not even Hollywood perpetuates when the hero saves humanity.

Yes, I live overseas, so you could make the argument that my voice doesn’t count, that I’ve become less American as result. Or you could say, I’m just a bit on the outside.

34 thoughts on “An Asian American expat musings on the post-election malaise”

There’s so much that went into why the presidential election went the way it did. Like you say Lani, unhappiness across all the States in all different types of people. Not just one a-typical supporter.

While it probably can’t quite compare, I am finding myself drawing some comparisons between this and how Brexit vote turned out for the UK. People feeling similar feelings on similar issues. Wanting change. Mainstream media showing far too much of an opinion, rather than stating the facts.

Absolutely. Because I work in an expat + Khmer environment, when asked about it, I, too, responded with, “It’s America’s Brixit.” To which I received a nod or two, and I know other people have been making the same comparisons.

And let’s not forget the other elections around the corner for some EU countries…

I gotta thank you, Jaina for commenting. I prefaced this blog post on FB with, “I’m a little terrifed to share my opinion right now…” so I’m relieved to have jumped over my imaginary mental hurdle. Cheers.

I agree with what Jaina said. With every election that comes around no matter where in the world, people want change. I suppose in America, some might not have been happy with the way things turned out with Obama over the last eight years. Both parties this time round seemed to address different issues and different communities, and in a way I am not too surprised at the outcome. I really don’t know if the outcome is ideal but all we can do is wait and see how this result pans out.

I think all governments in a sense are corrupt, that sometimes it is all talk and nothing gets done. Or things get done very, very slowly. Politicians know how to spin tall tales but isn’t that all of us too 😛

Well, this is true. But I can’t help but wonder, if Hillary had won, would everyone just be complacent and wipe their hands and feel like their civic duty was done? I mean, if this vote got folks thinking, there is still so much to do and fight for – I think that’s a good thing.

Obama and the DNC had 8 years and historically the American public switches back and forth between both parties. 8 years of Dems, 8 years of Rep and so on. It was to be expected in that light.

Regardless, you are right. No one knows what will happen. Thanks for stopping by, Mabel. xxoo

Thank you so much for your candor. Much of your post struck a cord with me. I tried throughout my adult life to participate and still don’t understand why the supposedly educated candidates were acting like middle school children. Being from the West coast I also had the feeling of being dismissed when the results were announced before we even finished voting. What pushed me over the edge an into being mega jaded was Gore/Bush and finally understanding what the Electoral College was and it sucked. Now we are hearing that the popular vote was over 2 million in favor of Hillary. I didn’t vote this time and at times I felt guilty that I couldn’t go along with the pressure to “use my privilege”. It wouldn’t have mattered.

I watched a clip from the Stephen Colbert Show and he proudly mentioned America is 240 years old!!!!!! Well, now that I have lived in two countries that have histories of over One Thousand Years and I walk on cobblestone streets older than the US, his statement put things in perspective. The US is a toddler country and is going through the terrible twos! It has a long way to go before it knows what it wants to become.

Yes, for those of us who are old enough (555+) I remember how many were calling for a recount of the Bush/Gore votes. And how the Electoral College was challenged, etc. and how any voter fraud was swept aside and forgotten. Of course, I’m simplfying what happened. But I also remember how many Americans pretended to be Canadian when they travelled overseas during this time, too.

Yes, American is a young country and one that many others look to as a beacon of justice and liberty. I agree living outside of the US adds another dimension to an otherwise limited worldview. It’s tough though…

In some ways the US is a toddler country (Compare it to China, for example.). In other ways, the US government has lasted a long time. The US constitution is the longest surviving constitution, although there can be different ways of looking at that. In a way, that’s scary thought. It means most governments (and ways of life) don’t last very long. We always expect the basics of our government to stay the same, no matter who’d in the White House. I hope Trump won’t shake things up too much.

Since I grew up in a political family in DC, our views on voting couldn’t be more different. I feel like voting is imperative, but I’ve met people who don’t. I think you do a good job of explaining your suspicions, your cynicism, and your, “Imma stay home with my marbles” mentality. I get it. Half our country feels as you do, that voting makes no difference in their daily lives.

I’ve heard a lot of calls — especially from the right — for unity, for calming down, for giving the President-elect a chance.

But the the President-elect just picked an overt white supremacist to head his transition team. The President plans on spending a lot of time in NYC, while the Vice-President who admits he is a “Christian” above all else, will most likely be running the administration even more than Cheney did for Bush. Given his record on women’s rights, abortion, Planned Parenthood, coerced gay conversion therapy, AND the fact that the Republicans control all branches of the government, I find it understandable that segments of the population are freaking out. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t one of those freaking out.

Yes, our government is a giant machine. Sometimes it moves like a steamroller and change seems hopeless. Yes, it has — and still does — interfere with other countries. At the same time, I admire those who fight, who protest, who raise their voices against the injustices perpetrated by various administrations. Without them, we might have bombed Cambodia even longer. Women might not be able to vote, or have the career of their choice. There might still be literacy test at the polls to keep black Americans form voting.

Yes, Americans are shitty to each other. We call each other names, we often don’t make an effort at empathy and understanding. But sometimes, when the protests are loud, when the people of the country can see injustices themselves, on TV, on social media, they stop the steamroller. And we get legal abortion, LGBTQI rights, and an independent review board for police shootings in San Diego. (We also get marijuana legalized, if you’re into that.)

Maybe I can’t change anything — not by voting, not by protesting, not by calling out racism in my community. But I can’t live with myself if I don’t try.

I understand why you might think as a non-voter that I was at “home with my marbles”. I can see how that might look like an “I don’t care” stance. But I do care and I do try, just in my own ways.

Both canidates were problems for me, but the reason why I wrote this post was to share my experiences and talk about this US vs THEM mentality which I feel is dangerous and distorts what I think all of us want which is a good life for everyone.

I think there are other things you can do besides voting. I didn’t say anything to the contrary.

Being a teacher has been one of the ways in which I try to “be the change”. It’s not a vote, no, but it has allowed me to try to be a positive role model day to day, and contribute in what I hope will be a meaningful way.

I have also tried to listen to all sides during this very poisonous election season. I think being a well-informed citizen is another way in which I can show that I care.

I don’t have the answers. I don’t know what is going to happen next. But I did want to be part of the conversation by writing this post.

Oh, I don’t think you don’t care. Sorry if that came across as the implication. My experience is that those who are the most hurt by loss/ rejection (depending on coping mechanisms) are more likely to retreat/ reject back.

Hahaha. Yeah, I know. I knew when I first decided to put myself out there via the blog that I would have to be able to take criticisms and be misunderstood, etc. It comes with the territory and I’m fine with it. Big hug back 🙂

So as an American living abroad, you could still vote?
Trump’s victory has worried a lot of folks. I don’t think it’s truly the Republican stripe. It’s his style and lack of intelligence to THINK and explain patiently in more complex terms about solutions. It doesn’t help at all for his repeated attitudes about minorities, women, etc.

The reason why Canadians are concerned, now that a powerful leader with type of commentary, makes it more acceptable for others verbalize it and make it a little more acceptable. It’s just amazing to watch a bunch of cycling American guys argue over the ‘Net where I participate past decade, and slowly they are giving cautious clearance to Trump.

No, that’s where danger lies.
I like your frankness about Hawaii. Canada has its own problems in various spots but still I was thankful to be back in Canada after European vacation last month. I enjoyed myself immensely which will be in future blog posts, but realized as an adult, I would have a tough time integrating in France, Germany or Spain which is where we went.

Yes. I’m not sure where the expat vote goes and if it has even been counted yet, but yes, we are allowed to vote.

I understand why Canadians and many good citizens are concerned. Trump is not a politician, so we are left to speculate and come to fearful conclusions based on what he has said and by his (bigly or Big League?) behavor.

You’re right. He’s not the typical Republican, so again, what is he going to do? I think any cautious clearance to Trump is folks “willing to give him a chance”. I don’t think this means free reign of hate-mongering which has been perpetuated in the mass media.

HIstorically, Americans have voted Rep and then Dem and then back and forth again. I think it’s part of the desire for change. Wish us luck.

My grandson didn’t vote either. He spent his fall break with his Jewish grandparents, who tried over and over to convince him to vote. But he insisted that one vote didn’t count. I’m not happy with him. He’s a brilliant boy and I love him, but it seems to me that his choice shows what is probably his biggest fault: pride. He’s unwilling to do something unless it makes a big difference, unwilling to be just part of the crowd. But every one of us is only one person. Even someone who holds a high position is only one person. We all do just what we can within the small range that any individual is given.

When 320 million people gather together as a nation, the organization of it is beyond complex. African Americans who expected Obama to make huge changes that would solve all their problems were unrealistic, BEYOND unrealistic. Trump voters who expect him to bring back their mines and factories don’t know how the world and the government works. And as a small scold to you, my friend, it’s unrealistic to expect any government to be free of corruption. As individual citizens, we can only do the best we can.

So, if your grandson had voted for Trump or Jill Stein or Gary Johnson, you would have been okay with that? As long as he voted, right?

As I commented earlier, I think we can make positive changes though our day to day lives, our actions, our thoughts and our words. I try as a teacher, a traveller, a reader and a writer. I have a low-carbon footprint, too, if that means anything. But I have no illusions, I’m not as influential and powerful as others. But I still try.

I agree, as citizens we can only do the best we can. And the promises of politicians have to be taken with equanimity. I think both Hillary and Trump said what they said to get votes, to get elected. Time will tell what kind of President Trump will be.

But I don’t think it’s unrealistic to expect any gov’t to be free of corruption. I think we have accepted it as the norm, as we have corruption in our banking system and Wall St.

As a teacher, I can’t imagine telling my students to expect corruption, even just a little. I hope when I close my eyes, we will live in a world where corruption is considered so heinous and so morally repulsive that is forgotten like a bad stain on human history. I feel like I’m waiting for the world to turn their eyes on the ultra rich, the 1% and say, NO MORE. I know, unrealistic, but I believe we can do it.

Totally support you on this, and thoroughly enjoyed your psychological extricating yourself from the poisonous charade, and instead doing what you can in your everyday life to do what’s right and good in the word.

I didn’t vote either – not just because an expat vote in a non-swing state is just imbibing a placebo to pat myself on the back for exercising my right to choose – but because I couldn’t decide which candidate was really the lesser of two evils. Everyone knows what is wrong with Trump, because the corporate media, which is now apologizing for it’s biased and distorted coverage, made him the boogie man of the century, the only difference between him and Adolph being the choice of eccentric personal grooming.

But if one went outside the thinly veiled propaganda of the pro-Cinton, pro-status quo, corporate media (which portrayed her as the heroin of women, minorities, immigrants, Muslims, the LBGT community, and all the marginalized, disenfranchised, and vulnerable) she had some startling shortcomings which even exceeded those of the Orange Fuhrer. Clinton was proudly an advocate of “America Exceptionalism” and asserted her commitment to maintaining US supremacy around the world, including militarily. She even criticized Trump for one of his most sane pronouncements, which was that this position is insulting to the leaders of other countries. Hillary had supported every war since Vietnam, prided herself as being the prime mover behind the toppling of Qaddafi (“we came, we saw, he died. Ha, ha, ha, ha”), and pledged that her main priority in her first 100 days was dealing with Assad (toppling another leader of a Muslim country). Somehow her dreams of regime change around the world, and cheer-leading policies which which have lead directly to the deaths of hundreds of thousands of Muslims (this includes countless women of color), including her direct contribution to the current refugee crisis (via the destabilizing of Libya), is not considered a issue for the socially conscious voter.

Unbeknownst to the average Hillary voter, or else they didn’t care, is that Russia is letting out an enormous sigh of relief because the escalation aggression from the American establishment, and the threat of war (they’ve had nuclear-attack survival drills involving hundreds of thousands of people) have been derailed. For many liberal journalists, such as John Pilger, world war three may have just been narrowly averted. I gather the Clinton die-hards don’t believe this, but, the Russians emphatically do.

Hillary represented the worst of the corrupt establishment, and amoral corporate takeover of American democracy. We know she took tens of millions via the Clinton Foundation from Saudi Arabia and Qatar at the same time she asserted they were funding Isis. This staggering level of corruption is seen as excusable, as is her laughing over Qaddafi’s execution in the street (which included being impaled with a sword), as compared to a businessman bragging about his fame and fortune allowing him to grope women who otherwise wouldn’t let him do it.

For me, I could never vote for Trump because his environmental policy is suicidal. That might make me choose Clinton as the lesser evil, except, when you stop and think about it, large scale war is even worse for the environment than marginally increasing carbon emissions (and she was merely paying lip -service to fighting global warming, as she’s promoted fracking around the world).

Further, the DNC deliberately sabotaged Sanders, and declaring Hillary the “presumptive nominee” the day before primary elections in CA, which was the pivotal state that would have propelled Sanders into the lead, was the most cynical and manipulative move of the election cycle. How do we vote for a candidate that represents the undemocratic bumping off of the obvious people’s choice, who was funded entirely by private donations? Sanders was picking up enormous speed, and would have easily beat Hillary, and probably Trump, if the DNC hasn’t sabotaged him.

A vote for Clinton, while being a shallow symbolic gesture for identity politics, was also a vote to enshrine the excessively corrupt establishment which not only rigged the election against Sanders, but really has no vested interest in doing anything other than incrementalism: giving the people as little as possible to keep them from openly revolting. A vote for Clinton was a vote to continue the neo-liberal agenda in which the average American was seeing a dimmer and dimmer future. It was a vote for business as usual with a vengeance in a pantsuit.

Voting in the end became a legitimizing of either dramatically flawed candidate, in a rigged charade of an election. To not vote can be a protest in itself against playing the game in which we are allowed to pull a proverbial lever every four years, but the candidate does the bidding of the big corporations and major donors anyway. Some may feel that voting for the lesser of two evils, even if you CAN figure out which one it is (in which case I suggest you start your career as the 21st century Nostradamus) is voting for evil.

Personally, I think if everyone stayed away from the booths and smoked a fat doobie, the world would be a better place. Besides which, if you believe in the master narrative of Clinton supremacy, the worse thing one could do is vote (if one didn’t vote for your worldview). In reality, I think, Hillary voters are chastising non-voters not for not voting, but for not voting for Hillary.

I think the mass media did a number on the American people who trusted them as an unbaised or fair news source. Of course, we now know that the other half was fuming at CNN, NBC’s, etc. portrayal of them as deplorables.

Regardless of each canidates crimes, flaws and shortcomings, I think it’s safe to say that this election was a GAME CHANGER. At least, I certainly hope so. Both the Rep and Dem parties are essentially headless. They both need to restructure their parties, and rebuild trust and intergrity within themselves and with the American people.

And I hope the younger generation will feel ignited to create change, be the change and start moving the country in the direction it needs. Cheers for your support.

I think you are right about the media and its uniformity or narrative. If one only watches even a few of those sources, no only will one have a singular impression, one will also think everyone else has sensibly come to the same conclusion, and if they haven’t they are lunatic.

I also think there’s a contest of paradigms or worldviews, but I don’t trust the young to move us in the right direction. Older people have the advantage of having been young once, and even sometimes seeing history repeat itself. Young people want change, and they are right that the system is not working for them. But as to what those changes are, and how they should come about, they may not have the right answers, or may have been led astray. My guess is that the people protesting in the street right now are young, and that they mostly subscribe to a very popular paradigm that views the world through the in some ways illuminating, and in some ways distorting lens of identity politics. This is the same perspective Hillary cynically manipulated in order to get votes, and demonize her opponents (even Bernie Sander’s supporters became “misogynists” for not supporting her), but nothing more. It is also the “master narrative” that was crammed down my throat in grad school. Incidentally, one of the things that helps me to unravel the BS is living abroad.

Maybe its people of any age who have a more multi-faceted vision, who can see from more than one or two angles, and who don’t have all the answers or subscribe to easy beliefs who represent the way forward. Young people often want “radical” change, and that usually involves quite a lot of spilled blood, and the belief that everything that came before needs to be destroyed. One key I’d think is to learn from the past, not destroy it.

Lani, this is so well thought through and expressed very intelligently. I agree with many of the issues you raise. And most of all, it must be so hard to be living in America now. I am very glad I am in thialand where we have another perspective and are not reminded daily of every one’s fears. I wish we could have spent more time with you. We are staying in a semi expensive hotel in Battambang our cottage surrounded by lush trees, hibiscus,etc and look out on a swimming pool. I am happy just staying here and relaxing. then it’s on to Chanpong Cham.

I was wondering about y’all. Nah, it’s all good. It was just nice to spend time with you and Judith. I do miss my writing gals! Which reminds me, I’m going to email you anyway and find out what the writers group number is!

Thanks for appreciating what I was trying to say. I really wanted to write from my point of view and try to unravel a bit of the one-sidedness. Ah, well. On to more writing!

This post is nice and refreshing. Thank you for sharing it. I’m also glad you bring up the South, because whenever I meet people from there (or who have lived there) they rave about how it’s a nice place and there is a warm and genuine hospitality from the locals. I also think it’s amazing your brother is probably the only AMWF in a Southern state, haha.

Since moving to California, I’ve met a lot of minority-Americans (such as Asian-Americans, Mexican-Americans, etc..) and there is a very strong mentality of being against “them” (aka, the white people). They often tell me that white people make them uncomfortable, or they don’t trust white people, or white people don’t do X or Y action which is offensive–but what they don’t realize is all these comments makes ME uncomfortable (I am half-white, after all). They don’t realize it IS possible to be racist against a white person. It is.

Now. What gets me about this election is not the minority/race aspect–it’s the gender aspect. The fact we have a molester/rapist as President just makes me sick to my stomach. The fact that women voted for Trump, despite all he’s done, just leaves me aghast. There was some headline from a newspaper that said “we always knew America was racist, but it’s even more sexist,” and this election proved it. Almost everyone on Trump’s (supposed) cabinet is old, white and male. Woohoo.

I don’t know. The fact that a woman can vote a man into office who would potentially rape/molest them or their daughters is just… is beyond me.

I honestly picked the worst year ever to study foreign policy in graduate school. Everyday I have to read and analyze this election, and the more I learn about the power of the president and the role s/he plays in world affairs, the more I seriously worry about the state of global affairs. It’s going to get ugly.

I’m fairly certain that those alligations against Trump have been dropped. But I hate how saying that makes me seem like a Trump supporter – which I’m NOT.

The media did an excellent job of making Trump into a monster with comparisons like Hitler being thrown in quite readily by many, but it would seem that many women didn’t care about his old comments or how the media was portraying him. In fact, you could say the media’s plans to vilify him – backfired at the polls.

Regardless of whoever won though, we were going to have an asshole in the White House. Bill Clinton’s Presidency almost ended with impreachment for his sexual relations with other women – and let’s face it, his abuse of power.

But yeah, I have to agree with you. I think you did pick the worst year to study foreign policy! My god. I’m so sick to death over it all and have taken a big step back, especially since there is now censorship and evidence of collusion with the mass media.

Just like what happened here where I am, a lot of us cannot fathom what happened to your elections….I cannot give more opinion as I am not American, never been to America. I do know about Trump and stuff about him and I can only say I personally wouldn’t trust him. The keyword is “personally”, so please forgive me if ever I have offended anybody here. It’s hard enough not to offend my own countrymen who put our new big guy in power.

I admire your honesty and analysis. I also envy your ability to leave and see, first hand, other places and perspectives! We just never seem to get anywhere and change is so difficult for people. We want to pride ourselves on our “greatness” but we haven’t gotten there yet. We just teeter back and forth between one side and the other instead of finding our balance. It’s exhausting!